Thread: Swivel Base Revisited

Hi BT,

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

because of the incorporation of the Mason lock.

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

Aren't you happy you haven't got a bitty little milling machine?

But it doesnt look near as pretty as yours and sure takes up a lot of room.

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

Ideally, it would be something that enables the dividing head to be slid up from the bottom, towards the cutter, Centricator or whatever else is mounted in the spindle. Then the stop is latched into place

Thats a little tricky, it would be nice if it was some sort of ratchet so locked itself as you slid it in place, but that might end up making removal a 1.5 hand operation, would that be any better that 1.5 hand loading?

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

ps. It turns out I'm not alone with the use of a two piece thingamajig.

Currently I like your thingamajig better. Though the way I've been going lately I'm likely missing something

Stuart

Apart from some scraping, for all intents and purposes it's completed.

The thingamajigs had to be two piece and an access hole was required in the underside of the base. I made the thingamajigs from 4140 and experienced some tearing when I countersunk the removable bottom disc. Maybe too long a boring tool. I established the required length of the tee slot clamps by trial and error on the test piece. The cams lock nicely. The cams received a bath in Blackfast.

I'm happy with the end product. Certainly a lot of rooting around for such a simple thing.

Thank you all for your advice and support during this lengthy ordeal.

BT

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Victory

Another job well done BT.

So whats next?? hehe

Stuart

Nice work Bob

Um....just one thing though, have you given up in graduating the base?

Nice work BT, it's hard to see how you would get the profile much lower.... Mason Lock? ( I think there should be a patent on that.. )

Good to be able to tick the box on another project,

Regards
Ray

Originally Posted by Ueee

Nice work Bob

Um....just one thing though, have you given up in graduating the base?

Hello Ewan,

If I mounted the base as per the pretend setup photos, having graduations wouldn't make much sense. It would be easier to rely on the Mini-Sine bar clamped to the straight side of the base.

But if I fixed locating dowels in the underside of the base, that engage the table or longitudinal tee slots, then graduations would be sensible. The trick is how do I mark the graduations. Scribing tears the cast iron and leaves upstanding edges. Engraving would be the answer but I need to make up a mount for some sort of engraving spindle. I will make an appointment with Rod M to discuss the feasibilty of the engraving option.

Now, you blokes ask what's next. Well I've got a plane to catch up with.

BT

I made a little backstop (which awaits a plastic insert), a pair of 4140 tee nuts to fit the longitudinal slide's tee slot and scraped the hump out of the underside of the top section. Here's the finished article in place. For the additional vertical clearance it was worth the effort. One cam locks the base up solidly, the other three provide comfort. The backstop provides even more comfort.

The Centricator fits.

BT


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Hi BT,

Congratulations on completing a marathon project, beautiful stuff, good to see the centricator in use too, I admit to being curious about how you would use it... I think I can see it now!

Regards
Ray

Originally Posted by RayG

Hi BT,

Congratulations on completing a marathon project, beautiful stuff, good to see the centricator in use too, I admit to being curious about how you would use it... I think I can see it now!

Regards
Ray

Thank you Ray and all the blokes who have provided advice and encouragement throughout the ten months this project has taken to complete. I have learned a bit about the accuracy of my machines in the process. The futility and frustration of chasing microns. Remember the tailstock on the lathe, the shimming, the indicator deflection. There has been a lot of sidetracking. A trip to the Tool Capital for an introduction to scraping......

That it works is the best result.

BT

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

Thank you Ray and all the blokes who have provided advice and encouragement throughout the ten months this project has taken to complete. I have learned a bit about the accuracy of my machines in the process. The futility and frustration of chasing microns. Remember the tailstock on the lathe, the shimming, the indicator deflection. There has been a lot of sidetracking. A trip to the Tool Capital for an introduction to scraping......

That it works is the best result.

BT

Bob
I often reflect on the Scraping Course & realise just how good it was.
Not only to improve Scraping Skills but to meet & share with others.
It was time very well spent.
Bruce